Friday, August 27, 2010

Death Notice-Todd Ritter

Perry Hollow, Pennsylvania Police Chief Kat Campbell is stunned to find the corpse of George Winnick, a farmer, inside a coffin of sorts at the side of the road. She is further aghast to see the victim’s lips sewn together and his blood vessels containing formaldehyde.

Meanwhile, Perry Hollow Gazette obituary writer Henry Goll learns the time of death occurred after he received the faxed death notice. Henry realizes that one of his neighbors is a diabolical homicidal psychopath. When other murders occur, Pennsylvania State Police Officer Nick Donnelly, an expert on serial killers, arrives to assist the overwhelmed locals. However, even with his knowledge and skills, the killer seems always ahead of the cops.

Although at times a bit overdramatic with a stratospheric kill rate, Death Notice is an enjoyable police procedural. The story line is fast-paced and loaded with a horde of eccentric characters as the corpses keep coming. Kat is a fabulous lead who holds the serial killer thriller together with help from Nick and Henry. Readers will enjoy this entertaining regional mystery as a town that never faced a homicide suddenly is inundated.